ZOO IN AUSTRALIA

If you want to hug a koala, hand-feed an Asian Elephant, walk together with a Bengal Tiger or take a Tasmanian Devil for a saunter – then head for any of the zoos to get personal with the drop dead gorgeous animals...

Today Australia is prominent in pioneering new practices for zoos, sanctuaries and aquaria.

Australian zoos:

Australia has a treasure of public and private zoos.

Public zoos:

1. Taronga Zoo & Western Plains Zoo, Sydney:This has about 340 species and over 2600 individual animals. Western Plains Zoo is an open range zoo in Dubbo. It has over 100 species and 850 individual animals and primarily caters for large, open range animals.

2. Melbourne Zoo, Victoria:This is Australia's oldest zoo and displays a sample of the world's fauna and flora in their native habitat zones. It has about 350 animal species.

3. Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria:It displays Australian animals in their natural environments, even providing a reversed day-night cycle for visitors to see nocturnal animals!!!!

4. The Adelaide Zoo, South Australia:This zoo focuses on endangered and rare animals from South America, India, Africa, Australia and South East Asia. The zoo is home to over 3,400 animals and almost 300 species of exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish.

5. Monarto Zoological Park, South Australia:This is an open-range sanctuary undertaking a major role in breeding programmes for rare and endangered species, like the white rhino. It is designed to let larger species of animals roam as if in their natural environment.

6. Cleland Wildlife Park, Adelaide:This is part of the Cleland Conservation Park.

Private zoos:

7. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane:This is the world's first and largest koala sanctuary with over 130 koalas and a large variety of other Australian wildlife. It works towards the preservation of Australian wildlife.

8. Billabong Sanctuary, near Townsville: Here, the native animals are displayed in their own environments in natural surroundings.

9. Wave Rock Wildlife Park, Hyden: It offers visitors the unique chance to enjoy and observe hundreds of birds and animals from the area, as well as from around Australia.

10. Australia Zoo, Beerwah: Was being run by Australia's famous 'crocodile hunter', late Steve Irwin. The zoo features both Australian native species and exotic species of mammals, birds and reptiles(not less than 300 crocs).

11. Werribee Open Range Zoo, Victoria: This is an African adventure and allows its animals to live in an environment similar to their natural habitat.

12. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast: Visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where you can see over 1400 native animals, birds, reptiles face to face in natural surroundings. The Sanctuary is also a quality research facility.

13. Mogo Zoo: It is the only zoological park in Australia dedicated to the conservation of exotic animals outside the public statutory zoos.

14. Perth Zoo: Perth Zoo reproduces some of the world's major habitats, including the Australian Walkabout, a chance to see all of Australia's wildlife in one location.

15. Zootober: Zoo Month or 'Zootober', held each year in October, provides an opportunity for zoos to display features of their animal collections and also provide people with access to information about animals and their environments.